Korean-scent perfume workshop in Anguk: indoor date finale, Muhwawon

An indoor date near Anguk Station and Bukchon, ending at Muhwawon perfume workshop

It was too hot for outdoor wandering, so I planned an indoor-focused date around Anguk Station and Bukchon, and the last stop was making my own perfume at Muhwawon (무화원) Perfume Workshop. I'd mapped out in advance what to do in Anguk and Bukchon :) Since it's so hot these days, indoor activities seemed best ❤

We went to Bukchon S'more Market, which sells Toy Story goods, then the Today's House (오늘의집) showroom and Anguk Onion, and finally headed to Muhwawon, the Bukchon perfume workshop, for the grand finale 👍

Making your own perfume while relaxing in a stylish space is so much fun! With the perfumer's professional help it turned out far nicer, which made this Bukchon date even more memorable ❤

How do you get to Muhwawon perfume workshop, and where do you park?

Muhwawon is about a 6-minute walk from Anguk Onion, and I booked ahead on Naver. We had happily made our way from Insa-dong to Bukchon before arriving.

There's also a public parking lot right in front of the building, so parking is easy.

The walk to Muhwawon was very quiet and peaceful ❤ This alley has a different vibe, and since it's close to Nakwon Arcade, it would also pair well with a date in Ikseon-dong.

Inside Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop

Muhwawon carries the meaning of "fragrance rising like mist in a garden." As a brand inspired by the beautiful gardens of Changdeokgung Palace, it feels calm and comfortable from the moment you step in.

With the softly drifting scent and clean interior, it felt like a little break from the busy city 😍 Best of all, it's close to Bukchon Hanok Village, so it's easy to combine into a date, and as an indoor spot it works on rainy days and hot summer days too, which made me even happier.

Why making perfume for the first time at Muhwawon wasn't hard

At Muhwawon you don't start blending the moment you sit down. You begin with a simple survey.

You can check the scents you usually like, the mood you want, and even how much help you want from the perfumer, so first-timers can start without pressure. The whole thing took about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Next, you learn perfume basics on a tablet. Topics like scent notes and perfume concentration are explained simply, so even people who don't know much about perfume can follow easily.

It's so well organized that it felt less like a one-day class and more like properly learning something.

Muhwawon's signature: Korean scents like wild grape, mugwort and omija

What I personally remembered most were the Korean scents that are hard to find at other perfume workshops. They had familiar yet special notes like san meoru (wild grape), san ssuk (wild mugwort), hagyul flower (a citrus blossom), omija (five-flavor berry) and hanji (traditional Korean paper).

They don't just reproduce a traditional feel; they're reinterpreted with a modern sensibility, so they're easy to wear. Sniffing them one by one was really fun, and it was amazing how the mood changes completely depending on which scents you combine.

Your nose can go numb if you keep smelling, but each seat has coffee beans so you can reset between scents and compare. That was a thoughtful touch.

Creating your own perfume with a Muhwawon perfumer

Once you check every scent you like, the Muhwawon perfumer goes through your tastes one by one and recommends the combination that suits you best. Rather than giving you "the answer," the perfumer keeps the mood and scents you want as much as possible, and gives an expert view on what to do about overlapping or overpowering scents.

Thanks to that, I got the fun of making a polished perfume that would be hard for a beginner to make alone.

Blending the perfume yourself

This was the time when I brought the scent ingredients I wanted myself and added them one by one in the right ratios to finish the perfume.

Measuring precisely on an electronic scale and mixing the scents in a beaker was surprisingly easy to focus on, and kind of healing.

You sniff the blend and add or reduce a little, over several rounds, until your own scent is done. It was quite serious but fun. It even felt rewarding, like a one-of-a-kind perfume that fits my taste exactly was being made.

The final step: naming and labelling your perfume

Once the scent is done, you pour it into a perfume bottle, choose a name yourself and put on the label.

This part was secretly exciting.

It felt less like simply making perfume and more like completing a memory, which made it even more special. The packaging is lovely too, so it would make a great anniversary or birthday gift, and as a review event I even got a car diffuser made with my own scent ❤

Is Muhwawon perfume workshop a good Anguk Station date idea?

Muhwawon fits nicely into a full-day date with Bukchon Hanok Village, Changdeokgung and Insa-dong, so I was very satisfied. Lots of people are looking for something different for dates these days, and instead of a movie or café, making scents together and chatting sounds great ❤

If you want to make a special memory in Seoul, Muhwawon is worth a visit as something to do around Anguk Station. Every time I wear the perfume I made, I get the memory of that day plus a little pride 💘 I'm going to use it every day.

Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop: hours, prices and booking

• Address: 23 Yulgok-ro 6-gil, 3rd floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: daily 12:00 - 22:00
• Premium perfume 50ml: ₩49,000
• Premium car diffuser 120ml: ₩59,000
• Reservations available via Naver